GBCORP · BUY-SELL BUSINESS · LATVIA
Buy or Sell a Business in Latvia
GBCORP sells and buys Latvian companies in transactions up to USD 20 million, from owner-run SIAs in Riga to regional manufacturers and IT firms. We run each deal from valuation to the Register of Enterprises filing, in Latvian or English, with our local partner network of lawyers, accountants and sworn notaries.
Why Latvia
Latvia sits at the centre of the Baltics: an EU and eurozone member with the region’s largest city, Riga, three main ports at Riga, Ventspils and Liepāja, and road and rail links running east to west and north to south. Its companies serve customers across the Baltics, the Nordics and the wider EU.
Latvia also taxes companies only when they pay out profit. Earnings kept in the business and reinvested carry no corporate income tax until they are distributed, which buyers value when they plan to grow what they acquire.
Planning an exit? Our guide on how to ensure a smooth transition when you sell covers the handover in detail.
Selling your Latvian company
For founders who want qualified buyers from the Baltics, the Nordics and beyond, and a price that holds.
Valuation you can defend
Normalised earnings, benchmarked against comparable Baltic transactions, so the asking price holds through due diligence.
Nordic and EU buyers
Strategic and financial buyers from the Nordics, Germany, Poland and the wider EU, screened before they see your name.
Confidential process
An anonymous profile first; full figures only under a signed NDA, so staff and customers hear at the right time.
Clean handover
Board changes, bank signatories, the shareholder register and licences are planned before signing.
Buying a business in Latvia
For entrepreneurs, investors and foreign companies looking for an established business in the Baltics.
Deal sourcing
Owner-run SIAs in Riga and the regions, including off-market opportunities from our partner network.
Due diligence
Financial, tax, legal and employment checks, coordinated with Latvian lawyers and accountants.
A Baltic platform
Buy one Latvian company and serve Estonia, Lithuania and the Nordics from it on day one.
Government consent
We check early whether the target matters to national security and needs consent before closing.
How a Latvian deal runs with GBCORP
Six stages, one point of contact. Most sales complete in four to nine months.
01 · Valuation and preparation
We review the annual reports, normalise earnings and prepare the sale documents.
02 · Confidential approach
An anonymous teaser, then an information memorandum to screened buyers under NDA.
03 · Offers and letter of intent
We compare offers on price, structure and certainty, then agree heads of terms.
04 · Due diligence
The buyer’s advisers review finance, tax, contracts, staff and property through a data room.
05 · Signing
The share purchase agreement is signed in writing, once the other shareholders’ pre-emption rights are cleared.
06 · Registration and handover
The new owner is entered in the shareholder register and filed with the Register of Enterprises, and staff and customers are introduced.
Latvian rules that shape the deal
The points that decide structure, timing and cost in a Latvian transaction.
- Pre-emption rights. In an SIA, the other shareholders can usually buy a stake before an outsider can, unless the articles say otherwise. We clear this before signing.
- Register of Enterprises. The change of shareholders is filed with the Register of Enterprises, with a notarised or secure electronic signature.
- Beneficial owners. The people who ultimately own or control the company are disclosed to the Register of Enterprises after closing.
- Tax on distributed profit. Corporate income tax is charged when profit is paid out, not when it is earned, so retained earnings and how they will be distributed shape the price.
- National security consent. Acquiring a significant stake in a company that matters to national security, for example in energy, electronic communications or broadcasting, needs government consent first.
- Staff in asset deals. When a business is transferred, employees move to the buyer on their existing terms under the Labour Law.
Local partners, one point of contact
GBCORP runs each Latvian deal end to end with our local partner network: lawyers, certified accountants and sworn notaries. We work with owners and buyers in Riga, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Ventspils, Daugavpils, Jelgava and the regions.
We speak your language. Our advisors work in Latvian and English. We handle transactions up to USD 20 million; fees are agreed per mandate and quoted on request.
Questions about buying and selling in Latvia
The questions we hear first, answered plainly.
How long does it take to sell a business in Latvia?
Most owner-run company sales take four to nine months from valuation to registration. Finding the right buyer and due diligence take most of that time; the share transfer itself is quick once the agreement is signed.
How are shares in a Latvian SIA transferred?
Through a written share purchase agreement. The other shareholders’ pre-emption rights are cleared first, then the new owner is entered in the shareholder register and the change is filed with the Register of Enterprises.
Can a foreigner buy a business in Latvia?
Yes. Latvia is open to foreign buyers, and most sectors carry no ownership limits. Companies that matter to national security need government consent for a significant stake, and some land, such as agricultural land, carries extra purchase conditions.
How is a business sale taxed in Latvia?
It depends on the seller and the structure. Companies pay corporate income tax when they distribute profit rather than when they earn it, and an individual’s gain on selling shares is taxed as capital income. Confirm your position with a tax adviser before signing; our partner network can help.
What size of business does GBCORP handle in Latvia, and what does it cost?
We advise on transactions up to USD 20 million, from owner-run companies to established regional firms. Fees are agreed per mandate and quoted on request after a confidential first conversation.
Guides to buying or selling a business in Latvia
The essentials every buyer and seller should read before a first conversation.
Nearby markets and deal flow
Cross-border buyers often compare neighbouring markets. Each one has its own local advisory page.
Talk to our team
Considering buying or selling a business in Latvia? Reach out for a confidential first conversation.
